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The perfect burger

LUCY WAVERMAN

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 8:07 AM EST 20/05/08

The mouth-watering, shirt-staining winner? Wagyu ...Read the full article

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  1. Jim Somerville from Ottawa, Canada writes: Once you start adding stuff to the meat, you're really just creating meatloaf on a bun, not a hamburger. Just give me quality ground Angus steak and I'll put what I want on it.

    http://himmicane.blogspot.com
  2. John R Harris from Onjuku, Japan writes: Does The Globe & Mail still have a copy desk? If a typo is buried deep in a story it's perhaps not so embarrassing... but typos in a headline? Amateur! "Wa" refers to something Japanese as opposed to "Yo" foreign. "Gyu" is refers to something bovine... like "gyunyu," milk. So "wagyu" means Japanese beef. "Waygu" means absolutely nothing. In the body of the story you have both correct spelling and typo. I guess your poor headline writer guessed wrong. Harrumph!
  3. Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: A teaspoon of salt for 750 grams? My pulse races just thinking about it. Why the rectangles? Almost every hamburger bun is round.
    Home ground Japanese beef at $10 a pound? Might as well have a steak and save yourself the trouble.
    Whatever your favourite recipe, I recommend the three piece burger former made by Tupperware: it's round, effective and quick. If you refridgerate the burger for several hours before cooking, the burger is more likely to hold its form and not fall apart (a raw egg helps to hold everything together, too).
    PS, we barby year round.
  4. Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: Out here in the Wet Coast colonies just give me the simple things.

    We don't use our propane BBQ much, unless indoors during Hydro failures. Prefer to use our 2 tiny hibachis instead. Wife and I have backyard BBQ's all year long. But we get REAL serious about BBQ in Feb which can also be our rainy season. We only have just a normal picnic table table for which we have a huge sun umbrella, draped over with a giant sheet of poly which reaches right to the ground and cozily covers us totally.

    Lashing rain and gusting wind whipping the poly sheet outside, and two village idiots giggling under cover.

    Just turn the Canucks game on the TV, light the hibachis, pop a few cans of Kokanhee. Toss on 6/7 Buffalo Burgers (don't like hamburger) toast a few buns over our alder fire pit. Slather on Heinz Ketchup and chase with lots more Kokanhee. Simple recipe huh?

    Question--In her heading the author Lucy Waverman mentioned "opening the cottage" please somebody from Ontario TELL ME--
    What in heck--IS A COTTAGE? Hear the word ten times a day and don't know what it is and so the word "cottage" is driving me crazier than I already am.
  5. Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: Question--In her heading the author Lucy Waverman mentioned "opening the cottage" please somebody from Ontario TELL ME--
    What in heck--IS A COTTAGE? Hear the word ten times a day and don't know what it is and so the word "cottage" is driving me crazier than I already am.
    -----------------------------------

    A cottage is a second home located for proximity to recreation as opposed to employment. In Ontario, most cottages are opened on Victoria Day weekend, affectionately known as May two four (as in, a case of two four--24--beer). I think that you could relate to that.

    In Belgium, a cottage is a small house, not to be confused with a hovel.
  6. Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: Rollo Tomasi from Belgium.
    Thank you for that explanation. Thank You, Thank You friend

    Always thought of ALL cottages as you describe those for Belgium.

    Used to see that type in Sweden/Norway/Germany and especially the Midlands in England. Something like the homes pictured in a John Wayne (Irish movie) scene with Maureen O'Hara.

    Thanks Rollo so it means a SECOND home used to get away from it all. That's the last thing I would have imagined. Now I can sleep and don't have to kick the cat when I hear the word 'cottage' anymore.

    How's my favorite 'Lil Boy' in Brussels does he still have those amazingly strong kidneys?-- (Used to be in NATO Rollo)
  7. Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes:Rollo Tomasi from Belgium. Thank you for that explanation. Thank You, Thank You friend....How's my favorite 'Lil Boy' in Brussels does he still have those amazingly strong kidneys?-- (Used to be in NATO Rollo)
    -----------------------------------------

    You're welcome. Mannekin Pis just keeps on givin her...cheers.
  8. Michael Hawkins from Rothesay, Canada writes: If you're going to put that much effort (and money) into a burger, for goodness sake don't use a bland commercial bun. Search out a quality bun or better yet, make one yourself with good quality whole wheat flour and maybe top with some toasted sesame seeds (especially if you're going with that wyagu beef).

    I prefer meat in my burger to be seasoned rather than flavoured. Salt is most important, closely followed by a good amount of fresh cracked black pepper. If you don't like pepper, you probably don't like beef. Get lots of it in there. All other flavours should be left to the toppings - it's good to actually see the flavours anyway.
  9. Aumharan G from Canada writes: The term cottage seems to only be used in Toronto...when I went up to Thunder Bay and mentioned the word "cottage" people had no clue what I was talking about.
  10. B.C. Expat from Ottawa-Hull, NCR, Canada writes: Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: Question--In her heading the author Lucy Waverman mentioned "opening the cottage" please somebody from Ontario TELL ME--
    What in heck--IS A COTTAGE? Hear the word ten times a day and don't know what it is and so the word "cottage" is driving me crazier than I already am.

    Hap, I can give you a way easier explanation than Rollo's: in Ontario, a "cottage" is what we BCers call a "cabin." The first time I heard it, I could only think of cheese.
  11. Bob Van Derlay from Toronto, Canada writes: A hamburger is just ground meat and it can only be so good. The important part is the context. The first hamburger of the season on the way up highwary 11 north of Orillia, Ontario, at Paul Weber's has to be the winner.
  12. R. Thompson from Canada writes: Most regions with lake country have generic terms for their vacation spots. In Manitoba cottage means the same thing as in Ontario but more often Manitobans use the word "Lake" as a generic term for a cottage. As in, "I'm going to the lake" this weekend. When a Manitoban says to another Manitoban, "I'm going to the lake" the other person responds by saying, "Oh, where's your cottage?". I find Canadian regional dialog and phrases interesting. Does anyone out there who is not from Manitoba know what a "jambuster" is?

    Try adding 1 egg, 3-4 Tblsp of dijon and 1 Tblsp of Wocersthire per pound of ground beef. Ideally I like to mix one lb of regular ground beef and 1 lb of lean, not as juicy as what they use in the article but still a decent amount of tenderness and your heart will thank you for it. Can't say I have ever had a desire to buy $10/lb ground beef. I just stick to my poor man recipe.
  13. R. Thompson from Canada writes: "Cabin" also translates to Manitobans. I guess that's what happens when you live in the middle surrounded by everyone else.
  14. bill wilson from Canada writes: Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: "Out here in the Wet Coast colonies just give me the simple things.

    We don't use our propane BBQ much, unless indoors during Hydro failures"

    I hope you're kidding about the propane BBQ indoors, good way to blow the place up.
  15. M Clarke from Canada writes: It's "cabin" in Newfoundland, too. The Ontario version ("cottage") refers to a second home north of Toronto that is more akin to a suburban home that you'd find on a lot of cul-de-sacs (usually placed that close to the next-door neighbours). It's next to a lake (or "pond" as it would be called in Newfoundland), but otherwise resembles a suburban house - unlike a "cabin" which is a more rudimentary structure, which in many cases will not have electricity and/or hot/cold running water.
  16. Mark H from Indy, United States writes: "bill wilson from Canada writes: Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: "Out here in the Wet Coast colonies just give me the simple things.

    We don't use our propane BBQ much, unless indoors during Hydro failures"

    I hope you're kidding about the propane BBQ indoors, good way to blow the place up. "

    I woudn't worry about being blown up as much as I would worry about dying a slow painful death from carbon monoxide poisoning!
  17. Garry S from Canada, Canada writes: Cancer survivors will tell you to eliminate all red meat from your diet. I haven't had a hamburger in years.
  18. Cowtown boy from Calgary, Canada writes: Cancer survivors will tell you to eliminate all red meat from your diet. I haven't had a hamburger in years.

    That might be true if you are eating red meat every day, but if you have it occasionally along with other things like fish and chciken and sometimes no meat at all then I don't see the harm.

    For the BBQ I only use regular ground hamburger, lean ground is for other things. I put a Tbls of milk to help hold it together with a bit of Wocersthire and also some finely chopped onion. While cooking I put some BBQ sauce on near the end so it won't burn. If someone doesn't like onion, then I will cut some onion rings and lightly coat them with olive oil and gril them for about 10 minutes and put them on anyones burger who likes onions.
  19. Mr. Coffee from Victoria, Canada writes: 4 lbs. ground chuck or extra-lean beef is a start. Worcestershire sauce in there is a must. Some sea salt (no iodized crap), cracked pepper, an egg & some bead crumbs to keep it from blowing apart.
  20. Rocket Doctor from Vancouver, Canada writes: My favourite hamburger is a lamburger: lean, but not too lean, ground lamb, salted with a bit of cumin. Serve on a bun or in a pita with homemade tzaziki and a slice of firm feta. Oh gosh. Its 8:30am and i'm salivating for meat!
  21. Haiden MitHand El from Canada writes: Bob Van Derlay from Toronto, Canada writes: A hamburger is just ground meat and it can only be so good. The important part is the context. The first hamburger of the season on the way up highwary 11 north of Orillia, Ontario, at Paul Weber's has to be the winner.

    Bob -- the Weber's burger is more of a cottager's tradition. I guess if you have a cottage and it's up that way, then you might have a nostalgia for the Weber's burger. I've had them a couple of times and to me they're mediocre at best (certainly not worth standing in line for one) -- somewhat in the same vein as a Peter's burger in Calgary -- all hype.
  22. This is bat country! from former TBayer, Canada writes: In Thunder Bay we call a cottage a camp. Most of us can logically deduce what a cottage is when we encounter such language.

    We call the forest or as some eastcoasters call it the woods, the "bush". The boreal forest is more bushy than woodsy.

    Also, in TBay and in the rest of Ontario a case of beer is a two-four, but out west a case is a 12 pack.

  23. SusieQ 321 from NoWhereVille, Canada writes: Cottage Cabin Vacation home they are all the same thing...

    Favorite burger is a mix of vension, moose, lean beef and some fantastic seasonings... I know I can't make it I just show up and eat the burgers my buddies produce absolutely the best burger ever hands down...
  24. Goose Bay Resident Canada from Canada writes: It's called a cabin here in Labrador also. I am leaving for mine in about an hour. No need to worry about traffic it is only twelve kilometres from town on Lake Melville overlooking the Mealey Mountains. I lived in Ontario during the 80's and loved the cottage country in such areas as Fenelon Falls where we had a cabin err cottage. The traffic and tedious commute however I can do without. So wherever your cabin, or tilt or cottage or lake is I hope you get to enjoy a safe and funfilled May 24th weekend there with family and friends.
  25. Velma from Burlington from Etobicoke, Canada writes: When I was little we had a cottage on Lake Erie between Selkirk and Port Dover. Ours was very rustic - four walls and a roof, electricity, cold running water and a septic tank. The interior was divided with three quarter height walls between the "living room" and kitchen, with three "bedrooms" which were basically curtained alcoves containing a double bed and a small chest of drawers.

    The season opened the May 2-4 weekend, and closed Labour Day. Of course some of the other cottages in the community were winterized, but still a far cry from the second homes that dot the lakes in the Muskoka area - most of them are nicer than my house!
  26. Albin Forone from Canada writes: Best observation above is Mr. Hawkins' re the bun, not even mentioned in the piece. Did the tester serve that Japanese wonderground on Wonderbread? Never heard any complaints about a decent ground steak or even premium supermarket grade (not chuck, for gawd's sake) ground with some worcestershire, mustard and some egg to hold it tight. Also that mushroom fry would be just as tasty with garlic powder and healthier without butter - again no mention in the piece of the kind of olive oil - if you're inclined to cut with butter just don't use extra virgin.
  27. Erik D. from Ottawa, Canada writes: To R. Thompson: Jambuster. I think its what we called a bismark, at least that's what we called them in Saskatchewan, aka a yeast raised donut with jam inside it.
  28. Erik D. from Canada writes: As to burgers, I like a simple beaf burger, with fresh ground sea salt, fresh ground pepper (usually just black peppercorns) and fresh medium chopped ginger, and yes, a good burger bun from the local bakery with poppyseeds on it.
  29. Tyler Christensen from Yokohama, Japan writes: Enjoy your May Long at the lake, boys and girls, and have a little sympathy for a guy stuck in a cubicle in the middle of Tokyo!
  30. Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: Hey you in Cowboyville wonder how many are BBQing Rocky Mountain Oysters tonight? Bet theres a few hardy souls that will.
  31. Accounting Student from Canada writes: Aaaah, the perfect burger.

    It's a blend of Bison and Ground Round, seasoned generouslywith Tabasco's Chipolte Sauce (the brown stuff which has the consistency of A1, but none of the vinegar taste) (or minced chipoltes which have been canned in adobo sauce), a bit of HP, Lipton's onion soup mix, one egg. Grilled on the BBQ until well-done with a homemade sauce made out of the seasonings inside the burger, or Bulls-Eye mesquite :-), towards the end of cooking, a generous slice of aged cheddar should be placed to enfold the meat. The burger should be topped with the usual condiments - Dijon or Wasabi hot Russian mustard, lettuce, big beefy tomatoe and onion slices which have been grilled on the bbq, mayo and ketchup. The bun is the second best part, it's got to be a Scotch Bap (what I've known them by for years) but now sold as Porteguese Buns.

    Mmmm, can't wait 'till my bbq on Sunday.
  32. Goose Bay Resident Canada from Canada writes: Accounting Student from Canada writes: Aaaah, the perfect burger.

    --------------------------------------------------------------

    Way to go now you made me hungry. Definitely going to try that recipe this weekend at the cabin but I will have to substitute moose or caribou for the bison. Have a great weekend.
  33. Flashman At the Charge from Bangkok, Thailand writes: The alleged expert cooks in the article need a more informed approach, IMHO.
    The secret to a juicy tender burger or steak is to quickly sear it on one side then flip to start cooking on the other. Searing contains the juices within. Do not 'grill for 5 to 7 minutes a side' until it's been seared first. Timing depends on many factors, '5 to 7 minutes a side' seems excessive. It's not so much the ingredients but the approach: for instance when making an omelet, use the ingredients you are accustomed to, but reserve about 20% of the liquid (water, milk, cream). Just as the egg begins firming up, remove from heat and gently fold in the reserved cream. This stops the eggs from cooking on the plate as its served. It's all in an informed approach.
  34. robert quinn from Japan writes: Sharp advice, Flashy (you bounder). And from most everyone else. I'm ravenous now, you swine. I can smell it. But it ain't happenin' here for the reasons Tyler in Tokyo mentioned. It's not right.
  35. Accounting Student from Canada writes: Goose Bay Resident Canada from Canada writes:

    Way to go now you made me hungry. Definitely going to try that recipe this weekend at the cabin but I will have to substitute moose or caribou for the bison. Have a great weekend.
    -----------------------------------------------

    I've been known to do that many times, it's worse in person, but the caribou or moose sounds good Goose Bay, hmm, may have to try to find some in the stores this weekend as bison is seeming to be hard to get a hold of from my usual sources.

    Enjoy
  36. david coates from toronto, Canada writes: 50/50 Lean ground beef or sirloin/ground pork mix. Minced garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, Montreal steak spice. Mix using hands, folding and rolling rather than mashing, and don't worry about blending the two meats too carefully.
    Five minutes a side on the barbie, last minute cap with Swiss cheese. Garnish with caramelized onions and mushrooms, tomato, Russian mustard and mayo. Had one last night. Delicious!
  37. Albin Forone from Canada writes: Some good general summer BBQ thoughts here: 1) get some fat in there from one or more of the meats; 2) spice should be added, either inside or after cooking. I have to say, BBQ is hard-worker fambly weekend North American primitive, and I go snake-eyed when I read about fancy foreign ingredients that can't be got at the supermarket for $1.99 a bag or bottle.
  38. Justin Payne from Richmond BC, Canada writes: Michael Hawkins from Rothesay, Canada writes: If you're going to put that much effort (and money) into a burger, for goodness sake don't use a bland commercial bun…… I’ve been a foody for many years and in the last several years I’ve concluded the following. I buy the best quality beef available and from a real butcher, I buy Red Bro chicken at a specialty meat store and I buy my pork from a Polish butcher. With such quality meat and poultry, I simply add salt and pepper and cook accordingly. There are exceptions of course and very tasty ones at that, but I have come around to this simplistic method because I want to taste the meat or poultry and not all the added flavours. In my opinion, most of the add ons mask the true meat flavour. An example of simplistic cooking of pork spare ribs. Take the ribs out of the fridge and let stand until room temp. Sprinkle liberally with both salt and pepper. Fire up the barby, one side only at low. Put the ribs on the cold side of the barby and close the lid (the temperature should be around 220 or a low oven temp). About an hour and a half later turn the ribs over and close the lid and repeat this approximately 3 times over the course of about 4 hours. It is very important to not open the lid until you are ready to turn the ribs, if yer looking, you aint cookin…The end results will yield the juiciest and tastiest ribs, which will taste like pork ribs and not some over the top sloppy ribs that taste more of sauce than meat, not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just prefer for the most part the simple and glorious taste of the meat. I’ve done my own ground sirloin for burgers and they are superior to anything you can buy at the butcher and fat is very important for a flavourful burg. And always, always buy the best buns around. The bun is the other secret ingredient that is simple and vitally important for a great burg. I must seek out this Japaness beef as it sounds like it’s worth a shot…
  39. Justin Payne from Richmond BC, Canada writes: Gee, I bought a nice little slab of centre cut Sockeye Salmon to cook on the barby for dinner tonight, but ya know...I'm craven a burg after reading all these posts...Maybe Sunday...
    I love food. Make that "good food" made at home.
    And Flashman I agree, you must have a very hot grill, 550 to 650 degrees to get a good sear and it must be done as in 1 to 2 minutes one side then flip and let cook for say 4 minutes then filip again for another 2 to 3 minutes,of course the times are a variable to thickness etc. I have a side burner on my bbq and the truth is, unless you've got a full propane tank, you can't get much past 550 degrees, so I find for the most part, using a well seasoned cast iron skillet on the side burner is the best way to get a well seared burg. Sear it on one side on the burner , flip and finish in the bbq. Goes for steak too.
  40. Justin Payne from Richmond BC, Canada writes: Ah crap!! So now everyone's gone...I find a good non political subject on which I have something to offer or share and it's dead...everybody's out on the deck...guess I should hit the deck too and bbq that salmon
    Cheers
  41. Dr. Sartor from Victoria, Canada writes: Google "Ted.com" and watch the talk by Mark Bittman, noted food writer, called "What's wrong with what we eat". Or just paste this address into your search engine:
    http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/263
  42. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: A good topic and wonderful dissemination of ideas. Personally, I use lean or extra lean ground beef mixed with either Cajun or hot spicy shake n bake, or taco seasoning, divide and place it in an old school K-Tel Patty stacker---70's nostalga y'all---freeze and place on grill when ready. Use a whole wheat or light rye kaiser topped with Frank's hot sauce. Yummy hot spicy burger.
  43. Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: Anybody in Cowtown or Garlic City have a good recipe for Oysters?
    Meaning Rocky Mountain (big O's)
  44. Dr. Winston O'Boogie from London, United Kingdom writes: Is The Keg still unsing imported U.S. Beef in their Alberta restaurants?
  45. Kim Huynh from Montreal, Canada writes: The so-called Wagyu beef is just a fatty beef that gives th look of marbled mix( white fat and red meat), and if you bought these stuffs in Japan, good luck ( 600. a pound), smilar to the Kobe beef. Remember, beef i sa luxury in Japan. Going bacjk to the term "Wagyu", it means mixed cow meat. When you BBQ any kind of meat including hambuger, the fat will give more tenderness but will give you small fire underneath the grill. So try to find way to catch these fire. Over cooked can be toxic. So stick to the lean meat and keep it medium
  46. dinkle dorf from Canada writes: in northern ontario we used the words 'camps' and 'cottage' interchangably. a cabin usually meant logs tho.
  47. Joe Liberali from Canada writes: I discovered something this past weekend, and I'm sorry for plugging a commercial product here, but the PC Burger First bun made a radical difference in the taste. I think more attention needs to be paid to how we wrap the meat up to make sure we aren't dulling any necessary subtleties.
  48. D McAnn from Canada writes: Hap...the best recipe for oysters is shuck, then eat from the shell.

    And by the way, the best barbeque burgers do not have anything mixed with the meat (except salt and pepper)...sear each side for one minute, basting with Bull's-Eye Bold Original on the flip, reduce heat to medium after each side seared, and three or four minutes a side after that. The burger is ready when the juice bubbles clear.

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